An undated photo of Wallin & Nordstrom shoes at Second and Pike, next to the MacDougal and Southwick store.

An undated photo of Wallin & Nordstrom shoes at Second and Pike, next to the MacDougal and Southwick store.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The second Nordstrom store in the University District, 1925. The store was opened in 1923.

The second Nordstrom store in the University District, 1925. The store was opened in 1923.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The second Nordstrom store at 4339 University Way, better known as The Ave. This photo, part of the Puget Sound Regional Archive, was taken in 1937.

The second Nordstrom store at 4339 University Way, better known as The Ave. This photo, part of the Puget Sound Regional Archive, was taken in 1937.

Photo: Puget Sound Regional Archives

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Nordstrom at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, 1937.

Nordstrom at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, 1937.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The Nordstrom building at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, Dec. 1937. At the time, the store had 35,000 pairs of shoes.

The Nordstrom building at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, Dec. 1937. At the time, the store had 35,000 pairs of shoes.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The Seattle Nordstrom in the late 1930s.

The Seattle Nordstrom in the late 1930s.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The childrens shoe section at a Nordstrom in the 1950s. The exact date is not listed.

The childrens shoe section at a Nordstrom in the 1950s. The exact date is not listed.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Ray Highberger, manager of Nordstrom at Northgate, which opened at noon July 26, 1950. At right is Elmer J. Nordstrom, one of three sons of Wallin and Nordstrom founder John Nordstrom.

Ray Highberger, manager of Nordstrom at Northgate, which opened at noon July 26, 1950. At right is Elmer J. Nordstrom, one of three sons of Wallin and Nordstrom founder John Nordstrom.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The opening of the Bellevue Square shoe store, 1958. With him are granddaughters Susan Nordstrom Eberhardt and Linda Nordstrom Mowat

The opening of the Bellevue Square shoe store, 1958. With him are granddaughters Susan Nordstrom Eberhardt and Linda Nordstrom Mowat

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom's Fifth Avenue and Pike Street store, 1954.

Nordstrom's Fifth Avenue and Pike Street store, 1954.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom's store at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, May 19, 1961. A P-I account that year said it was the nation's largest shoe store for size and selection, and offered the biggest range of any shoe store in the world. less

Nordstrom's store at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, May 19, 1961. A P-I account that year said it was the nation's largest shoe store for size and selection, and offered the biggest range of any shoe store in ... more

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, 1950.

Nordstrom at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, 1950.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom shoes at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, 1957.

Nordstrom shoes at Fifth Avenue and Pike Street, 1957.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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The downtown Seattle Nordstrom store, May 18, 1961.

The downtown Seattle Nordstrom store, May 18, 1961.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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A Nordstrom store in an undated 1960s photo.

A Nordstrom store in an undated 1960s photo.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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John W. Nordstrom, who co-founded Wallin and Nordstrom in 1901, receiving a Hallf of Fame award in 1960.

John W. Nordstrom, who co-founded Wallin and Nordstrom in 1901, receiving a Hallf of Fame award in 1960.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom in downtown Seattle, Nov. 1972.

Nordstrom in downtown Seattle, Nov. 1972.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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A scene from a Seattle Nordstrom store, May 28, 1976.

A scene from a Seattle Nordstrom store, May 28, 1976.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom's old Westlake location on Aug. 23, 1989, before it moved to the old Frederick and Nelson building.

Nordstrom's old Westlake location on Aug. 23, 1989, before it moved to the old Frederick and Nelson building.

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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Nordstrom employees move a store full of merchandise into the new Nordstrom flagship store, across the intersection of Pine Street and Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle Wednesday night, Aug. 19, 1998.

Nordstrom employees move a store full of merchandise into the new Nordstrom flagship store, across the intersection of Pine Street and Fifth Avenue in downtown Seattle Wednesday night, Aug. 19, 1998.

Photo: seattlepi.com file / Associated Press

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Shoppers at the opening day of the current Nordstrom flagship store, Aug. 21, 1998.

Shoppers at the opening day of the current Nordstrom flagship store, Aug. 21, 1998.

Joseph Rojo, pianist at Nordstrom, was in his 15th year playing at the store when the WTO riots occured. He said at the time it was difficult playing happy songs and Christmas songs knowing that just outside the door there was protesting. less

Joseph Rojo, pianist at Nordstrom, was in his 15th year playing at the store when the WTO riots occured. He said at the time it was difficult playing happy songs and Christmas songs knowing that just outside ... more

Photo: seattlepi.com file

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From left to right, front row: Shoe Shiners Brent, Morgan, and Brian Perkins. Back row: Sunny and Patricia Perkins and Keith Busnell. Photo was taken Sept. 18, 2007 at the downtown Seattle Nordstrom. Morgan Perkins came to Nordstorm in 1974 and suggested he open a shoe shine stand for them. Thirty-three years later, it's a family affair. less

From left to right, front row: Shoe Shiners Brent, Morgan, and Brian Perkins. Back row: Sunny and Patricia Perkins and Keith Busnell. Photo was taken Sept. 18, 2007 at the downtown Seattle Nordstrom. Morgan ... more

Photo: seattlepi.com file / Meryl Schenker

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Derryl Durden of Seattle gets his shoes shined by Brian Perkins at Nordstrom Sept. 18, 2007. Durden has been a Perkins family customer for 25 years. Brian Perkins has been at his dad's shoe shine stand since 1987. less

Derryl Durden of Seattle gets his shoes shined by Brian Perkins at Nordstrom Sept. 18, 2007. Durden has been a Perkins family customer for 25 years. Brian Perkins has been at his dad's shoe shine stand since ... more

Photo: seattlepi.com file / Meryl Schenker

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Nordstrom President Blake Nordstrom takes a question from a shareholder during its 2007 annual meeting.

Nordstrom President Blake Nordstrom takes a question from a shareholder during its 2007 annual meeting.

Photo: seattlepi.com file / Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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Seattle History: Nordstrom through the years

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Today from seattlepi.com’s Seattle History archive we share the story of Nordstrom – a Seattle store that grew into one of the nation’s top retailers.

A story has been told that when the company started as Wallin & Nordstrom in 1901, Carl Wallin, the business partner whom John W. Nordstrom had met during the Alaska gold rush, was at lunch when a woman wanted a pair of shoes from their window.

Nordstrom couldn’t find a pair of shoes from their stock room, so he grabbed the pair from the front window and wrapped them up.

He never knew if they fit.

Today, the company is renowned for its customer service, with more than 100 stores and more than 80 Nordstrom Rack locations.

Wallin & Nordstrom was at Second Avenue and Pike Street next to the MacDougall and Southwick company for many of the company’s early years, and in 1923 opened a second store in the University District. Five years later, after Wallin and Nordstrom had regular disagreements about how to run the business, Nordstrom sold his share of the shoe business to sons Everett and Elmer.

A year later, Wallin sold his share to the Nordstroms.

John W. Nordstrom’s other son, Lloyd, joined his brothers during the Depression in 1933 – a year when an accountant told the brothers the business was worthless, according to family lore.

In 1963, Nordstrom bought Best Apparel, which also had a Northgate location at what’s now the Bed Bath & Beyond site, and started selling clothing. The company name changed to Nordstrom Best from 1967 to 1973.

Also in 1973, the first Nordstrom Rack opened in the basement of the downtown Seattle store. The company had gone public two years prior and by 1973, sales passed $100 million annually.

By 1985, annual sales passed the $1 billion mark.

Another move for the company flagship store came in the 1990s after department store Frederick and Nelson went out of business. Before Nordstrom moved into the Frederick and Nelson building, the city opened a section of Pine Street that had been closed to vehicle traffic and plagued with drug dealing.

When the new location opened on Aug. 21, 1998, crowds packed the street.